Generating Momentum For Our World Conferences
Cover photo: students at a Generating Momentum conference celebrate the event.
Since 2002, MCIC has hosted Generating Momentum for Our World conferences on international development issues for middle years and high school students.
These unique one-day events bring together students from schools and communities across Manitoba with a focus on the biggest challenges facing our world and how we can take action and inspire others to do the same.
Generating Momentum 2025: Conference Recap
In 2025, we hosted two exciting Generating Momentum for Our World conferences in Brandon and Winnipeg, engaging about 120 students from Grades 5–12 in global issues and empowering them as active global citizens.
Stay tuned for details on our next conference, where we’ll continue to spark conversations, inspire change, and equip students with the tools to become global leaders!
Conference Theme: Fast Fashion
The 2025 theme focused on the fast fashion industry, a topic that connects to all 17 Sustainable Development Goals. As a subject relevant to everyone—since we all wear clothes—fast fashion sparked meaningful discussions and hands-on learning throughout both conferences.
Whether students considered themselves fashionistas or not, these events offered a fun, engaging, and educational experience for all.
Participants had the opportunity to:
- explore and learn about key global issues,
- develope or improve leadership and public speaking skills,
- be inspired to take positive action and
- have fun! Conferences included creative, hands-on workshops.
A brief overview of a Generating Momentum conference:
- Kick-off the conference (introduction)
- Opening group activity
- Skills circuit (small groups) on such themes as:
- Leadership
- Public speaker and communication
- Problem-solving
- Planning, strategy, and organization
- Lunch
- Creative workshops (small groups) led by specialists on skills such as:
- Silk-screening
- Poetry/spoken word
- Photography
- Theatre/improv
- Sewing/mending
- Beading
- Up/downcycling clothing
- Closing group activity
While students were busy in the afternoon creative workshops, teachers and educators participated in a session designed just for them. This is an opportunity for teachers to share and develop ways of incorporating the SDGs and cultivating global citizenship in their classrooms.
To bring a Generating Momentum conference to your school or community, please contact our Education Specialist by email at youth@mcic.ca or call 204-987-6422.
Testimonials
“This is a big topic; it feels like we can be stuck and not making progress. Having the GM [conference] generated momentum for the kids, yes, but also for the adults. It was so nice that Amanda and the team came in, and I don’t know if we could have organized all of that as a committee on our own.” – Krista Curry, Superintendent, Border Land School Division, Altona
“Our students came back from the conference excited to plan the clothing swap. We were inspired to try for the first time, and it was a success! I know we would not have tried it if it weren’t for this conference.” – Amanda Tétrault (pictured at left), Inclusive Education Resource Teacher, École River Heights School, Winnipeg
For more inspiration, watch the short video below to hear from past participants on their experiences.